Obesity

Relevant Studies on High Fructose Corn Syrup’s Effects on a Healthy Diet

Below are studies examining the link between high fructose corn syrup and its impact on obesity and metabolism.

The effects of four hypocaloric diets containing different levels of sucrose or high fructose corn syrup on weight loss and related parameters. Nutrition Journal 11:55, August 2012. Lowndes J, et al.

This research investigates the effects of consuming either sugar or high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) as part of a reduced calorie diet. Decreases in weight were observed when overweight individuals were subjected to low calorie diets containing different levels of sucrose or high fructose corn syrup typical of those consumed in the U.S. adult population. They concluded that both sweeteners affected weight loss similarly.

In this article, common misconceptions about the composition, functionality, metabolism, and use of HFCS and its purported link to obesity are identified and corrected. In the second part, an emerging misconception that HFCS in carbonated soft drinks contributes to physiological levels of reactive dicarbonyl compounds and advanced glycation endproducts, is addressed in detail. Evidence is presented that HFCS does not pose a unique dietary risk in healthy individuals or diabetics.

The Center for Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture Policy convened an expert panel to discuss the published scientific literature examining the relationship between consumption of HFCS and weight gain. The authors conducted original analysis to address certain gaps in the literature. Based on the currently available evidence, the expert panel concluded that HFCS does not appear to contribute to weight gain and obesity any differently than do other energy sources.

This peer-reviewed study found that those who frequently consume sweetened soft drinks do not have a higher obesity rate than those who rarely drink them. The authors noted, "Obesity is a multi-factorial problem which is rooted in a positive balance between energy intake and expenditure. Lifestyle, behavior, and environment appear to have a more dominant role in obesity prevalence than do individual foods."

The November/December 2005 issue of Nutrition Today includes a report from the Center for Food, Nutrition, and Agriculture Policy and its Ceres Workshop, which was compiled by scientists who reviewed a number of critical commentaries about high fructose corn syrup. The authors concluded that, "Currently, there is no convincing evidence to support a link between HFCS consumption and overweight/obesity... The escalating rate of overweight/obesity coincides with many more credible explanations than increased HFCS consumption."